Composite building deck



July 9, 1935. v s 2,007,354

COMPOSITE BUILDING DECK Filed Oct. 51, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORMICHAEL ail/H56.

ATTORN E July 9, 1935.

M. G. VASS COMPOSITE BUILDING DECK Filed Oct. 31,- 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INV ENTOR MICHAEL 671/4 ATTORNEY 7 Patented July 9, 1935 I UNITEDSTATES,

PATENT OFFICE COMPOSITE nmnmc DECK Michael G. Vass, Maywood, 11].,assignor to United States Gypsum Company, Chicago, 111., a corporationof Illinois Application October 31, 1932, Serial No. 640,470

Claims. (01.. 189-34) 5 one to the other, .at points intermediate thesupporting beams.

In the construction of metal decks for floors and roofs, it is customaryto use elongated metal plates having depending flanges which rest uponsupporting beams or purlins. Where the depending flanges contact withthe supporting beams or purlins, it is customary to provide clips whichsecure y attach the depending deck flanges to the flanges of thesupporting beams or purlins; In view of the fact that the beams areusually spaced comparatively far apart, it is desirable that theadjoining decks be securely attached together at points intermediate thesupporting beams.

An object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a building deckconstruction having means for locking the adjoining decks together atpoints intermediate of the supporting beams; also to improve buildingconstructions in other respects hereinafter specified and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which I Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of myimproved roof decks, or

Fig. 2 is a perspective, sectional elevation through a building deckconstruction, 7

k Fig. 3 is a perspective view or one of the locking eys,

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through a pair of aiijoining metal decksshowing the locking key-in p ace,

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 4, but showing amodified form of locking key,

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation showing the form of clip for attachingthe decks to supporting beams, t v

Fig. 'l is a sectional elevation through a building deck construction ata point where the ends of the decks overlap, and

-Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one end of a modified form of deckconstruction.

One form of my improved metal deck shown in Fig. 1, consists of anelongated plate In, having longitudinal channel shaped ribs II whichdivide which extends from one end of the deck to a point somewhat lessthan the opposite end of the deck. The bead l2 also serves to reinforcethe plate In in a longitudinal direction and makes said plates moreresistant to, loads which might be placed upon them.

One longitudinal edge of the plate In is provided with a downwardlyextending channel flange l3, which terminates at its lower edge in anarcuate shaped bulb channel I l which has an outwardly flaring lip l5 atthe upper edge of said bulb channel. A downwardly extending flange i6 isformed along the opposite edge of 'each plate ill, the flange l6terminating in an arcuate shaped section I! adapted to enter into andengage the inside of the bulb channel I l. The bulb channel It andsection I! thus form registering locking-shoulders.

Due to the narrowing action of'the reinforcing bead l2, the decks may betelescoped together so that upon their erection on a sloping surface ofa roof, they form a water shed immediately upon erection. Supportingbeams or purlins l9 are positioned below the decks l0 preferably at thepoints where the ends of the decks telescope together. The beams [9preferably have outstanding upper flanges 20 which engage directly withthe bottoms of the bulb channels. In order to securely attach the decksto the purlin flanges 20, a clip 22 is provided on top of the flange 20,said clip having bifurcated ends 23, which are arranged to be bentaround the flange 20. An upstanding flange 24 is formed on the clip 22and is bent back upon itself to form a downstanding channel flange 25,which terminates in an arcuate section 26, said arcuate section beingarranged to fit within the bulb channel [4 of the adjacent buildingdeck.

In order to securely lock adjoining building decks together at one ormore points intermediate the supporting purlins I9, I provide a lockingkey 28, which is composed of a flat strip of metal 29, formed into acylinder 30 at its lower end, and

having an upstanding flange 3| in closely abutting relation to themetal, strip 29. Thetops of the strip '29 and the flange 3| arepreferably in the same plane to form a shoulder 32 which may be used forhammering the locking key into position between deck flanges l3 and [6,so as to press the arcuate flange section ll tightly into lockingposition against the inner walls of the bulb channel H and section [1.It will be noted that the cha-nnel flange It extends throughapproximately 270' degrees so as to leave a substan tially open throatto permit th transverse insering the locking key It yields slightly andthe metal deck flanges yield also when the locking key is being driveninto locking position from above the building deck.

A prong I3 is preferably formed integral with the metal strip 29 andextends upwardly to a point substantially above the deck plate iii. Inconstructing a roof, it is customary to mop asphalt on the top of themetal plate Ii! and then apply a layer of insulating flber board 35 tothe asphalted surface. In applying the boards", the prongs 33 are forcedthrough the boards until the board lies flush with the upper surface ofthe plate It, and then the board is locked in place by bending theprongs 33 at right angles to form locking flanges 36. A stiifening bead3| is preferably formed in the middle of the prong 33 to prevent theprong from bending over while it is being forced through the flberboard. Building paper 31, shingles, or other protective layers may bethen applied on the flber boards 35 by mopping on with asphalt or byother suitable means so as to make a water-shedding, heat insulatingroof construction. In constructing a floor, a short piece of round solidrod 39 may be used as a locking key; and then a slab of concrete, gypsumor other cementitious materials may be poured on top of the metal deckto form a floor.- Keys similar to keys 28, but. without the prongs 33,may also be used.

If desired, a plate 42 may be made in lon lengths of 20 or 30 feet andmade in comparatively narrow widths, such as 6 to 12 inches (Fig.

- 8). In sections of this nature, it will be unnecessary to useintermediate beads i2 although it may be found desirable in certaincases. Flanges i3 and ii are formed .on the edges of the plate 42 in thesame way that they are used on plate l0,

said flanges having the same shape as those shown on plate ill.

I would state in conclusion that while the illustrated examplesconstitute practical embodiments of my invention, I do not wish to limitmyself precisely to these details, since manifestly, the same may beconsiderably varied without departing from the spirit of the inventionas deflned in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:-

1. In a metal deck, a plurality of plates having overlapped ends; eachplate having an outstanding flange extending longitudinally along oneedge thereof, a channel flange extending longi tudinally 810118 theoppositeredge or and adapted to receive met p 2,007,854 g an adjoiningplate, and a locking member driven into position within said channelflange in a direction perpendicular to the plane of said plates forlocking adjoining plates together, said channel flange having asufficient throat opening to permit the perpendicular insertion of saidlocking member.

2. In a metal deck, a plurality of plates arranged in a plane, eachplate having an outstanding flange extending longitudinally along oneedge thereof, an open channel flange of substantially open throatextending longitudinally along the opposite edge of each plate andadapted to receive the outstanding flange of an adjoining plate, and alocking key driven into position in a direction perpendicular to theplane of said plates and engaging'said flanges for locking adjoiningplates together.

3. In a metal deck, a plurality of plates arranged in a plane, eachplate having an arcuate, outstanding flange extending longitudinallyalong one edge thereof, an arcuate channel-flange of approximately 2'70degrees extendin longitudinally along the opposite edge of each plate,the arcuate section of the outstanding flange being received in thearcuate channel flange, and a locking member forced into said channelflange from the face of said plates and engaging said outstanding flangeso as to lock adjoining plates together.

i 4. In a metal deck, a plurality of elongated plates arranged in aplane, a channel flange formed along one longitudinal edge of a plate,said channel having a locking shoulder extending into said channel and asubstantiallyppen throat. a longitudinal flange formedon theopposite-edge of a plate, said longitudinal flange having an outstandingshoulder engaging the shoulder onthe channel flange, and a locking rodforced transversely of the plane of said plates into said channel flangeso as to secure said lockin shoulders in locking position.

5. In a metal deck, a plurality of elongated plates arranged in a plane,a channel flange formed along one longitudinal edge of a plate, saidchannel having a reentrant locking shoulder and a substantiallyopenthroat, a longitudinal flange formed on the opposite edge of said plate,said longitudinal flange being provided with an outstanding lockingshoulder for enga the locking shoulder of the channel flange, and keymeans transversely driven in a direction perpendicular to the plane ofsaid plate for securing said locking shoulders in locking relation.

